AZURE WINDOW

You know those people who travel around the globe but then don’t manage to explore the closest places from their own home? Well, I’m one of them.

Since I moved to Malta, I have been traveling around Milano, Roma, Cairo, Morocco, Greece, but never really managed to visit the island itself or its others islands such as the “famous” Gozo.

Ok, Gozo is not famous. But the island gained some popularity thanks to its appearance in Game of Thrones and being the 6 months home of Pitt & Jolie during their movie production “By the Sea” (can’t actually realise how on Earth they found the island and moved there).

Since I’m currently back in Malta for a short stay before taking off to Greece (yes I told you guys I will go back there) and then to Venice, and … (surprises are coming my friends! A lot of them!), I took some days to explore the “country”, inclusive Gozo.

Unfortunately, I landed pretty late in Gozo. I never thought it will take so long to get there: in fact, from my home to the ferry it was only 25km but it took over 45mins to arrive!

Once at the port, you need to wait to embark in the ferry and once the ferry finally starts sailing, well… you need to wait more half an hour to get to the other side.

So finally we arrived in the “famous” island of Gozo. It looked like Malta but smaller, with less cars and people, the limestone heritage was the same, the architecture too, maybe more rural. Wilder.

We drove to the most iconic spot located in the north of Gozo: Azure Window.

Here the site was full of tourists and with a lot of restaurants. Finally a beach! I mean, a rocky one…as always.

Diogo started to take some pictures but unexpectedly smashed his feet against the rocky floor while walking and started to bleed (he was wearing flippers puff…).

After 10 minutes of shooting, Mr. Havaianas was whole stressed and in panic for his bleeding toe.

We wanted to go to a private clinic/hospital to see a doctor but guess what? Gozo doesn’t have one. We were told that 1. there was only a public hospital and 2. we won’t like it at all (local wisdom).

Well, they were right: the Hospital looked like a survival war zone in Afghanistan: from vomit smelling, to old doors, uncleaned walls and floors, we really thought they were preparing it for a movie (who knows).

It was 7 PM and the receptionist asked if it was for emergency (quick reminder: the idea of Emergency is to be taken in care faster), we replied affirmatively and were therefore informed it could be a looong wait (local wisdom II).

But good news: there was a small private clinic not very far – 10 mins drive – in Victtoria (the urbanised area of Gozo).

Since nor us or Google GPS had any idea how to get there, I called this private clinic to get some indications. “We close in 10mins” they told me over the phone like if it was a grocery shop.

Diogo had enough of the rural experience, and we took our ferry back to Malta, drove 45 minutes and arrived in Sliema (the expat area and more developed one) in the St. James hospital (the best private hospital in the island) to take care of his cut.

That’s my friends is a very genuine Gozo experience, one advice: bring sneakers! Not flippers!